Comments on: Decatur Cyclist Hit By Car Pushes For Safer Road Environments

By: Joey

Joey — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:45:16 +0000

We need to figure out how to keep cars from hitting bikes and pedestrians.

I’m pretty sure this is one of the major reasons why we have dedicated bike lanes, which was the whole point of that response. As you said, the cars are the dangerous things on the road. But as they do have to share with cyclists, how are motorists supposed to NOT endanger the lives of bicyclists when they are blantantly ignoring the very measures and safety laws meant to keep them safe? Just a legitimate question, and in no way meant to make light of the subject of the post.

By: Ridgelandistan

Ridgelandistan — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:06:54 +0000

Sorry Jeff, I should have offered a definition there.

Multi Use Paths are often used by government agencies to subvert transportation dollars to linear park facilities that also happen to require lucrative concrete contracts.
They rarely coincide with the needs of people using a bicycle for actual transportation and are often quite dangerous to those that try.
Cycle commuters sometimes refer to MUP as standing for “Many Unaware Pedestrians”.

By: Mises

Mises — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:46:47 +0000

I’m guessing a “Multi User Path?” I guess drivers feel the same way about roads.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:16:29 +0000

MUP? Come on, now. We don’t all know the jargon.

By: Ridgelandistan

Ridgelandistan — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:51:16 +0000

1. It’s not a “bike path” it’s a MUP which is often very unsuitable/unsafe for cycling.
2. It is legal to pass stopped and slowed traffic from the right. Also,”taking the lane” is how a cyclist indicates to drivers that conditions at that point are unsafe for cars to pass.

Personally, I avoid cycling on E Ponce past the post office but some don’t have that choice.